Gmail vs CounterMail
CounterMail wins on privacy, Gmail wins on price and they tie on features. Every fact below was checked on or before 25 October 2026.
Which should you choose?
- Go for Gmail if you'd like email without paying for it; a free plan to start on; and more room (15 GB, against 4 GB).
- CounterMail is the better pick if you want end-to-end encryption built in; your email to stay in Sweden; and email from a company that doesn't make money from adverts.
| Feature | Gmail | CounterMail |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 2.5 | 4.0 |
| Privacy | 0.0 | 4.0 |
| Price | 5.0 | 4.0 |
| Features | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| Cheapest plan | Free (Google One 100 GB for more space) Free; 100 GB about £1.59–£1.99 a month | Premium, 12 months $4 a month, paid yearly ($49) |
| Free plan | Yes, 15 GB shared with Drive | No |
| Storage | 15 GB | 4 GB |
| Your own domain | No | ✓ Yes |
| End-to-end encryption | No | ✓ Built in |
| Company based in | United States | Sweden |
| Your data is kept in | United States and worldwide | Sweden |
| Founded | 2004 | Unknown |
| Free trial | Free | Unknown |
| Funded by advertising | Yes, or its parent company is | No |
| Works in any mail app | ✓ IMAP and SMTP | ✓ IMAP and SMTP |
| Calendar and contacts | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Aliases | Plus addressing only | Yes |
| Open-source apps | No | No |
| Sign up without ID | No | No |
| White label | No | Unknown |
| Reader offer | None | None |
| Last checked | 22 October 2026 | 25 October 2026 |
Want to add another? Open this in the compare tool.
How Gmail and CounterMail differ
- Cheapest plans: Gmail Free (Google One 100 GB for more space), Free; 100 GB about £1.59–£1.99 a month. CounterMail Premium, 12 months, $4 a month, paid yearly ($49).
- Gmail has a free plan (15 GB shared with Drive); CounterMail has no free plan.
- Space: Gmail gives 15 GB of storage, CounterMail 4 GB of storage.
- Data location: United States and worldwide for Gmail, Sweden for CounterMail.
- The companies sit under different laws: Gmail in United States, CounterMail in Sweden.
- On encryption, Gmail doesn't encrypt mail end to end, whereas CounterMail encrypts mail end to end.
- You can use your own domain with CounterMail, but not with Gmail.
- Gmail (or its parent company) makes money from advertising; CounterMail doesn't.
- Aliases: Gmail offers plus addressing only, CounterMail yes.
Common questions
Is Gmail more private than CounterMail?
CounterMail scores 4 out of 5 for privacy and Gmail 0. CounterMail gives you end-to-end encryption built in, your email to stay in Sweden and email from a company that doesn't make money from adverts.
Is Gmail cheaper than CounterMail?
Gmail costs nothing to start (Free; 100 GB about £1.59–£1.99 a month). CounterMail's cheapest plan, Premium, 12 months, is $4 a month, paid yearly ($49).
Can I use my own domain with Gmail or CounterMail?
Only CounterMail does (Yes). With Gmail your address stays on its own domain.
Where is my email stored with Gmail and CounterMail?
Gmail keeps it in the United States and worldwide. CounterMail keeps it in Sweden.
Price changes and news
I haven't seen either change its price since I started checking on 22 October 2026.
The latest headlines: Gmail news · CounterMail news.
Also worth a look
Gmail vs mailbox.org · CounterMail vs mailbox.org · Gmail vs Posteo · CounterMail vs Posteo · Gmail vs Proton Mail · CounterMail vs Proton Mail
Switching between them
Moving to Gmail · Moving from Gmail. Or see all my switching guides.